German railway firm Deutsche Bahn (DB) and the European Railway Industry Association (Unife) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to advance the International Railway Industry Standard (IRIS).
The project is aimed to improve the quality and reliability of products and better fulfilling customer requirements.
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Iris complements the internationally recognised ISO 9001 quality standard while introducing rail-specific requirements.
Developed by Unife members, the IRIS is modelled on similar quality standards already used in the aerospace and automotive industries.
Unife chairman Lutz Bertling said: "Deutsche Bahn is one of the largest and most influential railway undertakings in Europe and the world.
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"To see their commitment to the further development of the IRIS standard and, thus, towards the continued improvement of quality in the rail equipment supply chain is commendable and a major endorsement for IRIS.
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By GlobalData"IRIS looks forward to continued fruitful cooperation with Deutsche Bahn on quality."
The MoU is expected to focus on improving knowledge-sharing and experience between Unife members and DB in order to better meet the railway’s needs.
DB management board for infrastructure, services and yechnology member Volker Kefer said: "The cooperation with UNIFE as our trusted partner will strengthen the rail sector and increase quality.
"The focus on product-related fulfilment of customer requirements within IRIS is an opportunity for business in a global economy. DB expects significant long-term improvements as a result of both parties’ expertise and cooperativeness."
There are currently almost 1,200 IRIS-certified companies operational worldwide and the standard is increasingly becoming an international seal of quality recognised by manufacturers and rail operators.
Image: Deutsche Bahn and Unife executives at the signing of a memorandum of understanding. Photo: courtesy of Unife.
